KOTA KINABALU: The controversial and troubled Sabah Water Department has a new director.
Quirine Jokinol, who was the deputy director, has been promoted to take over from Suhaimi Asbullah following the latter’s retirement, said Sabah Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.
The Sabah Water Department is under the purview of the Works Ministry.
“The previous director has reached retirement age. The new director is Quirine Jokinol. He was the deputy director of the department before being promoted to the post of the director,” he said.
Jokinol received his letter of appointment from State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong on Thursday (Oct 3).
The state Water Department has hit headlines for the wrong reasons following several controversies, including a Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) probe in 2016.
While testifying as a prosecution witness in the MACC trial, Suhaimi had admitted to the Special Corruptions Court in 2023 that he had obtained RM1.6mil in cash from a contribution collection scheme back in 2016 when he was the Beaufort division water engineer.
He has since given the money to the MACC.
Prior to Suhaimi, Baharuhom Sogon was named the director, taking over from Parti Warisan member, Datuk Amarjit Singh.
Amarjit was appointed to helm the department after the party won the state election in 2018.
However, his political appointment was challenged as he has never been in the Civil Service before and in 2020, he was transferred to the State Economic Planning Unit (Upen).
The Water Department director post was then left vacant in 2016 following the charging of its then director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib and deputy director Lim Lam Beng that year.
Also charged was Ag Tahir’s wife Fauziah Piut.
The trio were later jointly tried on 37 counts of money laundering, involving cash and bank savings of RM61.57mil, as well as unlawful possession of luxury goods.
This case is still pending in court.
